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Portsmouth Fc and the Ottomans

2012-09-16T11:50:00.001+07:00

Whilst Portsmouth Football Club are facing up to supervision and life in The Championship, researcher Oktan Keles claims the club was established by Sultan Abdulhamit Ii to guide intelligence reports in Britain during the latter years of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish influence at the club was such that Portsmouth Fc also adopted a "crescent" in its club badge, an sticker that remains today.

The information came to light when Keles, a writer on Turkish affairs, was researching papers on Abdülhamit Ii on the build up to the First World War. In the early years of the Twentieth Century Great Britain was known to use sporting and cultural occasions to obtain intelligence information. In an attempt to redress the equilibrium the Sultan employed some of the Portsmouth players to obtain information relevant to Ottoman Empire interests.

Prior to the outbreak of war in 1914, relations in the middle of Britain and Turkey were not good. Turkey blamed Britain for stirring up incidents of unrest in the Balkans and the dominance of the Royal Navy in the Eastern Mediterranean was a persistent irritant to the Turks.

Whatever information was passed back from Portsmouth to the Sultan appears to have had dinky ensue on the course of history. When I put my feet up on my footstool tonight to watch the televised highlights of how "Pompey", a club with no money and in the hands of financial administrators, beat Tottenham Hotspur to reach their second Fa Cup Final in the last two years I shall raise my glass to Sultan Abdulhamit Ii for his contribution to English football.

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The 4 Most Impressive Glass Platforms nearby the World

2012-04-20T09:45:00.001+07:00

Ever wondered what it would be like to fly? I bet you have, even if it was when you were a child. Thanks to fictional characters such as Superman, every person at one point in their life has imagined what it would be like to fly. This record is not going to tell you what you can do to fly, but we are going to list some buildings from around the world with glass floors which you can walk over; maybe the closest you'll ever come.

1. Willis Tower, Chicago - at one time known as the Sears Tower, this amazing buildings is not only a foremost highlight in the skyline of Chicago, but can also boast the worlds highest glass floor ( a whole 1,353 feet from the floor), a title it has been able to hold since 2009 when it was taken from the Cn tower. The building did hold the title of tallest building in the world up until 1998 when it was surpassed by the Petronas Twin Towers.

The 'Skydeck' was opened on 22nd June 1974 and is settled on 103rd floor of the tower. It is one of the most celebrated traveler attractions in Chicago for those who dare put their fears to one side and stand in something that gives them the illusion they are floating over the city of Chicago.

2. Cn Tower, Toronto - The Cn tower is the signature icon of Toronto's skyline, and is a stamp of Canada which attracts a vast whole of tourism for the country. The tower stands at 1,815 ft tall and was the tallest free standing buildings for 34 years, before the crown was taken by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The tower has a glass floor and notice deck. The area of the floor is 258 quadrilateral feet and can withstand pressure of up to 595 psi. It has been known that some population caress acrophobia when seeing straight through the glass floor and seeing down at the ground which is a full 1,220 feet below them.

3. Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth - The spinnaker tower is one of the more up-to-date creations in our list, and was chosen and created to coincide with the Uk's celebrations of the new millennium. However due to repeated delays and extra funding requests, building did not begin until mid 2001 before ultimately being completed in 2005. The buildings also reflects Portsmouth's nautical history by being modelled after a sail.

One of the biggest attractions of the tower is the glass floor which visitors can stand over and look down on the pier of Gunwharf Quays. The floor is the largest of its kind throughout the whole of Europe.

4. Tokyo Tower, Tokyo - The Tokyo tower is one of many traveler attractions in Tokyo Japan, and is tower that has been likened to the iconic Eiffel tower in Paris, France. The tower is 1,091 feet tall and is the second tallest architectural buildings in Japan.

The tower has two notice decks which both offer a 360 degree view of Tokyo. The tower also has two 'look down windows' which just like the other towers mentioned, allows visitors to stand over a small clear window and look at the ground 476 feet below.

The 4 Most Impressive Glass Platforms nearby the World

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What Happens After Submitting Immigration Form I-130 and Processing Times

2012-04-14T00:17:00.001+07:00

After you have submitted your application to the Uscis you should receive a notice of activity letter indicating that they have begun processing your Form I-130 application. Once your petition has been received it will be checked for completeness and the required initial evidence. If you do not wholly fill out the form or file it with the required initial evidence, the Uscis will deny your petition for failing to form a basis for eligibility. It is possible that the Uscis may request more evidence or that you appear at a Uscis office for an interview. They might also request that you submit the originals of any documents sent to rule eligibility. The originals will be returned when they are no longer needed.

While your I-130 petition is still pending, you can use the Uscis case status webpage to track your advance in the immigration system. When your I-130 petition is ultimately approved, the aid center that processed your petition will send you another notice of activity letter indicating your approval, and the forwarding of your popular ,favorite petition to the National Visa Processing center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, along with a phone whole to palpate the Nvc.

The current processing times as of May 14th, 2010, for Immigration Form I-130, petition for an Alien Relative are as follows:

U.S. Population filing for a spouse, parent, or child under 21:
Vermont-6 months, Texas-6 months, California-6 months, Nebraska-6 months
Permanent resident filing for a spouse or child under 21:
Vermont-18 months, Texas-6 months, California-30 months

Sometimes the volume of cases that the Uscis receives is larger and may growth the processing time.

What Happens After Submitting Immigration Form I-130 and Processing Times

Ductless Air Conditioner

Got Flat Rate?

2012-04-09T17:53:00.001+07:00

The Advertising

You've probably seen them: six-wheel box vans with billboard-size ads on the sides, sometimes displaying a blown up photograph of a white-toothed smiley-faced middle class woman on the phone, suggesting all in life is great for her, now that she's found a disposable-booties-wearing plumbing & Hvac company. Or maybe you've called one of those colorful full-page ads in the Yellow Pages. You know the kind, they make you feel warm and fuzzy, and define all you concept you wanted to hear. And what about their application of every prestige card logo under the sun? Did that reassure you that if your unplanned plumbing crisis caught you short on cash, then you should, without further thought, simply use your plastic? Did the 800-number, blazing red as fire, subliminally suggest: "hotline right though to the Maytag Man, who sits patiently awaiting to soothe your flustered mind"? Welcome to the world of Flat Rate plumbing and Hvac advertising!

I bet there's something you don't know, unless, of course, you did hire one of these fellowships - they payment between 5 and 0 an hour. If you didn't know they expensed that rate, you are not to be ridiculed for your ignorance, as that rate is disguised in the sell price of every part that they say (wink) you need.

Well, I am going to shed some light on the dark magic behind the M.O. Of the Flat Rate model, then maybe you won't go into cardiac arrest from emblem shock should you find yourself paying one of these fellowships after your next plumbing or Hvac emergency.

The Background

Among the self-employed in the Hvac and plumbing trades are those who have long struggled to eek out a decent living, myself among them. Traditionally, we've expensed an hourly rate, plus a modest mark-up on materials. As a aid technician for two 2nd generation fuel fellowships - Tenney Fuels, and Ferns energy Centers - in the early '80s, I was paid .75 per hour to start, ten cents above minimum wage. Those fellowships expensed per hour and made a behalf on parts, furnaces, burners and boilers, and the sale of fuel oil, the latter bringing in the lion's share. Then, in 1983, Tenney sold out to a hot shot "petroleum marketer" and my pay was raised to .90 an hour. In parallel, the new fuel oil conglomerate raised Tenney's rates, and started charging the buyer for all from pipe thread compound, and a few sprays of parts cleaner in a can, to fast dry (kitty litter) to Ant. Eject oil we spilled on the floor. It didn't matter that I spit-cleaned the burner electrode porcelains, the buyer still was expensed for noxious spray cleaner. The name of the game changed from, aid and facility work of the utmost ability (at a fair price), to slap-it-in-as-fast-as-you-can, and maximize behalf in every conceivable way, irrespective of quality. The new business even brought in technicians already trained on their new method at other branches, to show our aid group how it would now be done. It was a shock to me, a green horn, as every primary convention bestowed upon me over the previous 2 years was clearly and painfully on its way out. The shock on the faces of the customers, some who had been with the business since its inception, was a poignant palpate for them and me. Steadily through the 1980s and '90s, the endangered Old School slid closer to extreme extinction, along with the family-run feel that we were all used to. The Big Boys made their entry with slick, grand, unimaginative signage, sporting corporate logos that left us - the employees and the customers - feeling like an invasion was underway.

In 1988, I'd nearly had it with the new model that I felt imprisoned by, and resorted to recanting determined affirmations I placed on my aid van console - whatever to affect peace of mind so I could make it through someone else soul-wrenching day working for The Man. By this time I was employed by a plumbing contractor who seemed to embody the New School philosophy of taking the buyer for all they were worth. Though I had been in the trade for 8 years, a co-worker and junior technician - experience-wise - set out to "show me the ropes" my first day on the job. By noon he'd managed to bill for 8 hours, per man, charging each buyer for the time it would hypothetically take to trip to their home and back to the shop. It didn't matter if 3 of the customers lived on the same street, they still got expensed the full hour round trip, as if they were the only aid call out their way that day. While the policy of our rounds, the profit-motivated technician expensed one buyer - my dentist - for a light bulb in the furnace room that he bumped his head on and broke. While there, he only wiped the dust from the furnace. The bill came to over 0. Next, he expensed a buyer for an ignition transformer that was not defective. Then, he expensed a 93 year-old woman in a movable home 5 dollars for wiping the dust from her furnace, and a new oil burner nozzle, despite the woman's plea that she could barely administrate on her deceased husband's group safety check. (A month later, when the woman called with a no-heat emergency, she got me, the on-call technician. I went to her house, after general business hours, and found that the burner devotee operate had failed, so I supplanted it...free of charge, as repaymen for the bath the technician gave her months earlier. I'd lied on my report, stating that call was a non-chargeable callback due to improperly adjusted electrodes.)

I was paid piecework for the exact time I billed a customer. Otherwise, if I didn't payment them for, say, a trip to the provide house for parts, or trip to their home and back, or for completing the day's paperwork, I didn't get paid for that time. I concept the business owner was a criminal for production his living the way he did, and nostalgically pined for the early days at Tenney and Ferns - honest and ethical companies. I felt the present business not only ripped off (in many ways, not fully explainable in the context of this writing) the customer, but also ripped off me, the employee, by illegally docking my pay for not filling out the daily paperwork correctly.

The last straw for me was when the business expensed Kay O'Brien, an elderly woman of 84, for any aid calls by a plumber-employee who had no knowledge of oil burners. When I was finally sent to straighten out the primary problem, and the further ones he managed to generate with a bountiful helping of sheer ignorance, I recommend that she call the main office and elaborate (complain). The owner's daughter (the business bookkeeper) told her to "pay the f-ing bill, or we will take you to court!" This unbelievably disturbing and aggressive lack of gratitude upset me as much as it did Kay, and profoundly affected my attitude, unlike whatever I'd felt working for any prior company. I withdrew from participation in business meetings and events and, ultimately, I was fired. The boss man said I "wasn't a team player", and I agreed, at least not on his team, which lead me down the solitary road of self-employment...and hard knocks.

5 excruciating years had passed and I realized I could have been production more money working for a New School manager While that forlorn duration of pure angst. My income peeked over the poverty level barely adequate to see the other side, gazing at what the Joneses had that I couldn't muster from no matter how hard I'd worked. Soon, my wife left me for a lawyer. (Whatever happened to for richer or for poorer? I think she opted for richer.) Instead of giving in to working for The Man", I chose to risk all on my luck as an creator (see my essay, "Lessons In Invention Development"), which, by the way, is like jumping out of an airplane without first checking to see that the chute on your back is not literally a backpack full of bricks.

Just prior to falling like The Old Man of The Mountains, I was approached by a business wanting to sell me a Flat Rate franchise and poured on the sales pitch in equal parts to the, aforementioned, over-the-top, advertising on the sides of determined trucks. I rejected their solicitation because their business model and methods seemed like voodoo. Bankruptcy seemed a more spirited option. A local plumbing business owner did buy into the franchise, and soon he was focusing all his efforts on service, all the while his excessive drinking showed his behind-the-scenes stresses that apparently forced him into his decision to turn his business model to the Holy Grail the Franchiser sold him on. He had a great many aid vans with list levels I had not seen since the old days. He had a huge color ad in the phone book that must have cost upwards of a ,000 a month. (I paid 0 for my black & white quarter-page ad.) He had an 800-number, in bold red ink, and slogans that I knew he wasn't clever adequate to dream up by himself. The ad, with prestige card logos all in a row at the bottom, convinced me he had gone Flat Rate. I visualized him with voodoo dolls that resembled his customers, squeezing them until their wallets spilled out of the pockets, cash flowing from them for him to seize - the how-to instructions printed on some secret page in his Flat Rate pricing book. I was skeptical of his ethics, as it seemed he had bought into something that recommend behalf trumped quality, fairness, and full disclosure. I thought, "If it quacks like a duck..."

I pondered the methodology behind the new buzzword, Flat Rate. Being a creative thinker, and problem-solver, I concept the method was ingenious, juxtaposed to that of the Old School way of generating revenue. I examined the core problems in the trade, but also the lack of fulfillment related with being self-employed, from my humbled and beaten down point of view. Competition was fierce, and there seemed no way to go up on rates without losing bids, customers, and sales. I felt I was on the precipice of defeat, the sanctified martyr for the cause of doing honest work at a fair price, which seemed passé. Also, there seemed no way to afford employees, and the valuable benefits holder they routinely demanded. I held back my spiteful tone with retained concept so as no interviewee would observation when he uttered demands like "vacation"; "insurance"; "holidays", like so much lava from a volcano, scorching my patience to cinders. He didn't know, nor would I reveal, out of determined embarrassment, that I had none of these bennies. Once upon a time, I enjoyed all that he asked for at the family-owned fuel companies. Nonetheless, it seemed ironic to provide others with the very things I was missing by not working for The Man.

An established business with 15 technicians in the field can generate adequate income by the Time & Materials model, but I was beginning to see the worker prospects that I interviewed demanded a full recompense package, and that I would never come to be the business that could afford to pay them. And with customers questioning, "What, you payment an hour? I can get so and so for and hour!" the pressure to suppress the urge to payment more was what I feared and loathed the most, but was ever present. The over arching qoute in the trade, that desperately needed fixing, was the perception in the mind of the consumer that no matter the hourly rate, there was always man out there who should be sought for a "competitive" bid. That sounds like Free store Competition at work. By not charging by the hour, rather charging for 'materials only', albeit, with a hefty price tag that obscures the true cost of the parts, the Flat Rate model appeared to have offered up a clarification to the problems I experienced. I'll explain.

The Way it Works

When you call a Flat Rate Company, typically it's because you are desperate to have your no-heat, no-hot-water, or worse, "no water" qoute remedied, quickly. The typical Flat Rate buyer gravitates to the "Yellow Pages" like steel to a magnet, and dials the amount in the most eye and emotion-catching ad. The business behind the ad anticipates them coming, and, in a sense, is like the Maytag Man who sits waiting for the unsuspecting and desperate voice on the other end of the phone line. The troubled voice is a coarse one, and the prepackaged mantras of the Flat Rate business - "Honey, just call ________." (Fill in the blank with a name of Flat Rate Company.); "Repairs and maintenance on all systems"; "You get firm, up-front estimates and fair, competitive prices"; "Better ability guarantee"; "90 days no payments, no interest financing"; "At last, a serviceman who is always on time, or you don't pay a dime"; "Never an overtime charge"; "You know the price, before we start"; "Clean, professional technicians"; "Immediate response"; "Our prices are based on established standards"; "_______ solves over thousands of residential problems a year and we can solve yours now" - are like valium to ease the caller's anxiety. Those lines hook you fast in your most time of need. Hey, if you can get an experienced, neat, clean, and professional plumber who allows you to approve the price before he does the work, and he smells nice (yes, there is an ad for nice smelling plumbers), and you can slap the heal on plastic, then who wouldn't call? It's true, the Fat Raters are regularly there in short time, have the parts in their warehouses-on-wheels valuable to solve your problem, and you do approve the price before they begin work. However, there's more to their formulae, and intent by some, than catches the eye.

The Catch

Many Flat Rate fellowships tell you over the phone when you call, not in the ad, that there will be a trip payment (leverage) if you don't "approve the price" for remedying the diagnosed qoute when they arrive. By then you've already done all the hunting for a technician in the jungle of ads that you can stand. When they assure you they can fast solve your problem, you agree to pay the trip fee should you disagree with their price. Shortly, the technician arrives, and in time he tells you that your qoute is such and such, and the cost to fix it is...well, on page 7 of his Flat Rate pricing book. The price seems like a lot, but you have no way of knowing if it is too much - it's not like comparing brand names to generics side by side on the shelf of the supermarket. Besides, you are in a hurry to get your kids off to school, and get to work, and everybody needs to brush their teeth first. You Want Water, Now! So you whip out your Visa card and he swipes it before you, and then busies himself in the basement for a while. Once the heal is made, your nice smelling plumber comes upstairs, utters niceties, and when he is literally out your door, removes his disposable booties, hoping you'll observation he didn't dirty your floor, which might be the most profound thing you remember about his visit.

On his way to his next aid call, the technician whistles with glee, knowing he just made a 7% commission (an incentive to sell as many parts as possible) on the gross sale, on top of his ,000 salary. Some of these guys make over a hundred grand a year!

[As a salesman for the last business I worked for, in 2002, I made 2% commission on net profit, which was thought about by the owner of the company, though I wasn't privy to his calculations. I quit a year later and they refused to pay my commission check.]

The Math

So how do they arrive at their high prices? Hypothetically, the well pump pressure switch at the root of your no-water qoute cost the Flat Rater , but you paid 9.25 (the payment that you 'approved before they did the work'). 9.25 - (their cost of the switch) = 7.25, the Company's mark-up. If you hired a time and materials guy, say, at for the hour in your home and one on the road, plus - an midpoint sell price for the switch, you'd pay 4. Now, subtract from the Flat Rate price of 9.25 and 5.25 is the labor amount you've been charged. But wait, there's more. Divide their labor amount by two (hours) and their equivalent hourly rate is 8 per hour - more than twice that of the time and materials guy! You think, "How can this be? He was only here for 45 minutes?" Then you suck it up and remember his booties and your clean floor, rationalizing away your concerns, especially about the new equilibrium on your prestige card, which you can make minimum payments on anyway. But don't forget to factor in the interest, bringing the total cost of the Flat Rate Company's heal to new heights never before seen in the Old School model. What is the Flat Rate technician's cut? 7% X 9.25 = .55, but that's in increasing to his salary, or high hourly pay.

These are midpoint numbers, of course, but you get the idea.

Some Flat Raters take price-setting to an extreme, raking in up to 0 and hour, then laugh through their admission of guilt to fellow tradesman at the provide house. I've literally heard them there, at the counter.

It's all about their marketing, paired with the desperate consumer's emergency, otherwise, the whole business model wouldn't hold up. The consumer pays a excellent for the company's means of letting you know he can have a technician there with the valuable parts, within an hour. But that doesn't mean that a thoroughly fine technician will show up at your door. whatever can turn parts. Besides, the more parts they sell you, the more often you pay that premium...until finally he fixes your problem. It's roughly always a net gain for the company, but a loss for the consumer. If the unqualified technician sells you 3 parts, or more, depending on the true qoute and how long it takes to replace parts until the right one is found, the equivalent hourly rate fast skyrockets to the aforementioned 0 an hour range. It's math 101.

There is an army of these fellowships now canvassing the populous neighborhoods all supported by their big ads, hoping to add new customers, as many are one-timers, given the unwanted economic bath they took the last time. Speaking of being taken to the cleaners, how does 0 for a plastic Zoeller sump pump suit you? Maybe ,900 for a 40-gallon galvanic water heater sounds attractive? I think not! Check Home Depot's prices for those items the next time you are there. Flat Rate pricing seems to save the consumer from information they shouldn't see. What they don't know won't hurt them?

More often these fellowships are franchises and they are popping up around the country, from California to New Hampshire. But a local business (though I surmise it is only a matter of time before they sell franchises) boasts of having 35 fully stocked trucks on the road, in New Hampshire! literally there must be as many dead moose on the road.

Two Schools Collide

With pricing like that the Flat Rate business can afford to pay their employees great than the non-Flat Rate competitors, thereby attracting the labor pool away from the Old School guys like me. However, guys with talent, skill, and ethical fortitude tend to work for themselves. The dilemma is omnipresent. I ask, why would whatever work for me if all I paid them was K a year, and meager benefits? The Flat Rate method answers this question, as it addresses the quandary of how to make self-employed tradesmen profitable, so they, too, can have the same benefits that their employees demand.

The New School, and Flat Rate have convinced me of the direction the trade has been headed in for some time, and that it will never return to the days when I began as an oil burner technician for fuel fellowships that had been around since the beginning of oil burners themselves, and coal-fired systems before them. Still, I select to work by the primary ethics that I was fortunate adequate to be taught, at a time when the winds of turn were shifting. I've let go of the idea that I would hire many and reap the profits they generated for me. Now I work alone and hire someone else self-employed guy when I need a second pair of hands to complete a job that requires more than one, rather than go Flat Rate and take benefit of the customer. I do believe in business ethics (surely some of you are laughing at my naiveté). Maybe I'll never sway from the Old School approach, as I still have zero patience for the sub ability work done by the bottom of the labor pool barrel, and by some of these Flat Rate companies. Call it ego, or call it nostalgia, I call it freedom, freedom to select to feel great about the work I did today, without having to scam anyone.

Presently, where once I expensed only for the time on the job, I payment for the total time that I commit to my customer, along with trip time both ways. Also, I payment for diesel fuel to get there. After all, the time and charge of traveling to my customer's site is not for my benefit; it's to solve their Hvac problems - my primary business.

I know every task required to complete any Hvac job, and the order in which they should be performed. With 28 years experience, I feel unlike many of the Flat Raters who often only have a few. Really, many are uncomplicated parts changers in a neatly pressed uniform, behind the wheel of a spirited billboard / warehouse, carting around 25 grand of inventory...and a Flat Rate pricing book.

Despite my many complaints about them, I feel the Flat Rate innovators were very creative and insightful when they formulated their clarification to the ills in the trade. However, I feel their method is fraught with deception, and opportunity for fraud. Not all are bad, but take the following as example:

The Fraud

A case in point is my buyer Cheri Whittaker's palpate with a Flat Rate company. Cheri called me for a "free estimate" to turn the boiler in her home, in Exeter, after looking my ¼-page black and white ad (that cost 0 per month), in the Portsmouth telephone book. Being a savvy and knowledgeable salesman, I knew adequate to get a lot of information up front, before I agreed to give a free appraisal - something everybody calling ads in the phone book expects. Estimates take a lot of time, if done thought about and accurately. The answers Cheri gave to my queries - namely who the (Flat Rate) business was that condemned her old boiler two weeks earlier - caused me to surmise she just needed an honest and experienced technician to diagnose the qoute correctly. I felt I was her man, and agreed to give the estimate.

Upon arrival in her basement, I noticed that the air gate on the oil burner had been intentionally shut, causing the fire to burn incredibly dirty. Black smoke spewed from the chimney, and the boiler was plugged with soot. Before long, damage to the oil burner would result. Cheri showed me the invoice and recommendations the technician had left with her. There were many reasons listed on the invoice for condemnation of the boiler - every one false and designed to pressure Cheri into buying a new boiler from a "Comfort Advisor" they planned to send out to give an estimate. Had she gone along with their diagnosis and prescription, the technician would have received a 0 commission in his paycheck that week. Fantasize him doing this more than once a week, and you can see how he would literally approach a 0,000 every year salary.

The last time the boiler and burner had been serviced, prior to the Flat Rate Company's visit, was over a year, so I knew the business technician had sabotaged the boiler intentionally. Otherwise, an oil burner starved of air would have caused it to fail in a matter of weeks, and it was nearing that point. In a way, the technician's statement on the invoice was correct: "the boiler is due to imminently fail".

Cheri and her husband asked me to confront the Flat Rate Company, in their presence, so no surprise, I agreed. Soon, the technician and his aid manager arrived at their home and we converged in the basement. Within 15 minutes, I proved false the Company's claims in their invoice and of no wrongdoing. The Whitakers were not impressed with the hollow answers and guilty looks from the two, and evicted them from their home, telling them they would never return. I proceeded to clean the very dirty boiler and bring it back to good, safe operating health for a few hundred bucks - a far cry from the ,000 it would have cost to replace the boiler.

The Summation

Cliché's abound for situations like the aforementioned such as, caveat emptor - "buyer beware". And, "if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is." Think of all the claims, promises, and guarantees in the phone book ads, then recall what they expensed you. Was it a steep price? Had you ever been expensed that kind of money for a aid call in your past? What about the so-called Trip Fee, did you opt for that and disapprove of their Flat Rate? Did the technician fix the qoute correctly the first time, or did you have to call him back? Gimmicks like disposable booties, and surreptitious slogans - "you approve the price" - are devised to dupe the layperson from thinking about the price for a repair. These fellowships are clever, and getting rich without doing much ability work for the money, but they do sell a lot of parts, which I suppose bolsters the economy.

My Mom and her husband in California were just hosed by a Flat Rate Company, paying twice the price for outmoded air conditioning tool that is being phased out because its refrigerant destroys the Ozone layer. I wished I could have saved them from the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing relax Adviser that sold them on the idea of replacing their functioning furnace and condensing unit, before that business loosed their disposable booties in their home. I don't blame the one's who've been bitten; I hold the snake charmer responsible for allowing the snake to bite.

But, hey, at least the owner of that one-hour flat rate business is article with not having to work for The Man - something we do have in common

Got Flat Rate?

Debt to Income Ratio FHA

Let the Sunshine In - development Each occasion Magic

2012-04-05T11:16:00.001+07:00

Maya Angelou writes that "you can tell a lot about a someone by the way he/she handles three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."

I can add a fourth thing to the list: you can tell a lot about a someone by the way he/she handles being stranded abroad and seeing other ways back home when a volcano erupts and airplanes don't fly because of volcanic ash!

Like many other people all around the world, in April I was stranded abroad because of volcanic ash and had an fascinating 45+ hour journey home with my family. When I left England at the beginning of April, I notion I was heading to Italy's Amalfi Coast. I wasn't expecting to have a tour of Italy, Switzerland, France and Portsmouth.

So I was in Sorrento on Thursday, April 9th, at the end of an idyllic holiday on the Amalfi coast and getting ready to return home on Friday. It had been a sensational week, enjoying the romance of Capri, the pleasures of long Italian lunches and limoncello overlooking sunny beaches, the mysteries of Herculaneum and Pompeii, the warmth and humour of Italians. And I was ready to get home on Friday and have an organised weekend preparing for a full coaching week back in England.

And then....the volcano erupted...ash clouds filled the skies...and flights were cancelled for the foreseeable future. Plans changed and we were stranded in Sorrento! 5 days later, after an epic adventure which was practically as much fun as the holiday, I was back in England. This is what I learned:

1. Don't let the cloud of unknowing block your sunshine

It was beautifully sunny in Sorrento that Friday morning. Yet we didn't know when or how we would be returning home. We only knew that our traditional plan to fly home that day wasn't happening. seeing around me, I saw many worried fellow holiday-makers, fretting about what was going to happen. But still, it was a sunny day in Sorrento and we decided to enjoy it, exploring the town, having lunch in an remarkable cafeteria called Caruso's ( I very recommend it if you're in Sorrento), and enjoying a relaxing afternoon enjoying the views at the hotel swimming pool.

Learning point: even when there is a big (volcanic or otherwise) cloud of unknowing, enjoy the sunshine and possibilities...

2. Plan B? Sometimes there is no plan B

My own personality, J on the Meyers-Brigg personality J/P scale, combined with my profession as a coach, leads me to be clear about my purpose, direction and focus in life and work, both for myself and for my clients. Normally this works well. If plan A doesn't work out, my usual policy is to adjust and come up with an additional one plan.

In this case, no plan B was possible. We didn't know when or if the planes would fly, and when we looked into trains, they were booked up until the following week. And in any case, Italian train-drivers were apparently on strike.

The only thing to do to enjoy the touch was not to plan, but just to be...and let the sunshine of Sorrento in. Which turned out to be illuminating and a remarkable experience.

3. Enjoy every moment

Given the reality of being stranded in Sorrento and the absence of a plan B, every extra moment offered possibilities for fun. I went to Positano on Saturday and had arancini in a cafeteria on the beach, my son skimmed stones across the water, we found a sun-lit terrace from which to enjoy the views, and I found a sandal shop which made custom-designed sandals. It was a real episode in seizing each unexpected moment and enjoying it. As an additional one Brit said on the bus along the hair-pin bend roads back to Sorrento, oh Happy Days!

4. Be open to spontaneous delight and fun

I ended up on a coach driving through Tuscany, Umbria, the Italian lakes, the Alps, France, to Caen in Normandy from where we got a ferry. The journey was 45 + hours total, uncomfortable, tiring, very, very, long and yet lots of spontaneous fun. Some other passengers on the coach were distinctly irritable and not at their best. And yet....we experienced so many highlights....the beautiful landscape of Tuscany which I had never seen before, a 2 am jive in a car-park during a short rest stop to get our circulation going (the hokey-cokey would have been next if the bus driver hadn't arrived back), inventive guessing games, the excitement of racing to Caen to see if we could get there in time to catch the ferry...

Whatever the circumstances, you have the option to have fun or to react as less than your best self.

5. Grace under pressure

Back to Maya Angelou's point at what you can learn about people in inescapable circumstances. The Ww 2 motto of "Keep Calm and Carry On" was on my mind through much of the experience. And there was real camaraderie on the journey with other passengers, the possibility of lovely connection.

6. Be kind

See point above. When under pressure, it's so leading to be kind to others and see how you can help them, all from not putting your seat back on the coach when people behind you are already cramped, to helping an old lady with her luggage on the endless walk from the ferry to the final in Portsmouth.

7. Change your perspective

That afternoon in Positano when I should have been back in the Uk, that magically gifted space of extra time, I was sitting with my house and enjoying a lemon granita and the spectacular views, as well as our conversation and the feel of sunshine on my skin. At that moment, I got a text from a friend in England, which said something like, "Poor you being stranded. I feel so sorry for you and hope you're home soon." I have to admit I got the giggles. Such is the power of perspective!

Let the Sunshine In - development Each occasion Magic

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Premier League - And the Point Is?

2012-04-01T05:00:00.001+07:00

Sky Sports first live match of the 2008/9 Premier League season will be between Arsenal and newly promoted West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 16th August at the Emirates stadium. Arsenal of course will be surrounded by the favourites to win the league this season, while only a bleak season can be envisaged for the ‘Baggies’. It is a sad indictment of soccer today when even before the first ball is kicked, every person one who follows football know who is likely to be on top and who is likely to be at the bottom.

West Bromwich were a joy to watch during the Championship last year, under Tony Mowbray they have advanced a good passing style, not to different to Arsenal, unfortunately while the playing style is similar the unlikeness in class is a universe apart.

It is sad for any neutral football fan to explore the attempt a Championship team put into gaining promotion only to find out that they may have to do it all over again in two season’s time. It is not that I think Wba will be relegated necessarily, but at the outset of the season they are for real already one of the candidates, as will be their promoted rivals, Stoke City and Hull City.

The big four in the Premier League will remain the big four this season, of that there is puny doubt. Those in behind them will strive earnestly to replace them but by Christmas the die will have already been cast and the big four will begin ‘sharpening their knives’ to play out the season with Europe in mind for the next.

Certainly teams like Everton, Tottenham, Portsmouth and Man City will be teams that will make challenges, but as usual at the end of the season, they will be congratulating themselves if they finish 5th, that is the underground target of most other clubs these days. The same thing has been going on in the Spl for decades. It is all the time either Rangers or Celtic; success for the also-rans is measured in final position rather than silverware.

One might therefore ask themselves what is the point of playing? Is it in hope, is it in expectation, or is it plainly for the satisfaction of playing; maybe it is it because teams thrive on disappointment and relegation more so than enchanting for the top. Do teams for real want to play if their success is measured by how close they finish to the top or how far they finish above the bottom?

The football betting fraternity will do well this season however. It does not take great perception to back the top four sides in the league nor does it take great perception to back the three likely relegation candidates.

Premier League - And the Point Is?

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Epl Season 2007-08 - Your Player transfer Guide

2012-03-27T22:45:00.001+07:00

Shirley Bassey's song Big Spender could not come truer for the 20-club English Premiership League. With the new season starting on 11 August 2007, the exchange outlay for the 20 top soccer clubs in England has already exceeded the £300m spent last season - then already setting a dubious expenditure record. In fact, soccer pundits expect their total outlay is to surpass the magical £500m mark by the time the exchange window shuts on 31 August 2007, which is more than enough to feed millions of homeless habitancy around the world. Indeed, the Epl is by far the world's most successfully and obscenely costly soccer league.

Get this: with the newest television deal signed and sealed, the worldwide Tv possession approximately doubled to £625m, including highlights, radio, Internet and mobile-phone contracts, total amount imaginable to be poured into the game is well over £2.7b for the next three years. As consumers, we are indirectly funding this amount of money by paying more to watch live Tv action.

Strange enough, baring an irregularity 1995 whereby the title was won on the last day by Blackburn Rovers, the crown has been worn by only three clubs, with Manchester United dominating effect by Arsenal and Chelsea. We find it difficult to believe that the title will escape from the clutches of any of these three clubs in the advent new season. But who knows? possibly Liverpool, the most victorious English club in history with their immense outlay this season, will win their first ever Epl title.

In the newest exchange market, Manchester United has fired the first salvo by spending over £50m to derive new players so far. Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspurs are playing catch-up after spending over £30m each, with surprising Portsmouth, West Ham and Fulham over £20m each, and Arsenal, Sunderland, Birmingham and Chelsea a dinky over £10m each. With the league being so lucrative, it is easy to understand why even modest clubs are splurging to maximum their chances of staying up for as many seasons as possible. This is evidenced by the exchange dealings of new Fulham employer Lawrie Sanchez, who sanctioned more than £20m worth of deals, well surpassing the measly £1m spent four years ago. And this makes Fulham the biggest spender in West London, surpassing the qualified Chelsea.

For habitancy like me without deep pockets, I am contented with spending a few dollars on a wager that Shirley Bassey's Big Spender will top the bill board charts once again this advent season. Don't bet against it. Cheers.

Epl Season 2007-08 - Your Player transfer Guide

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Premier League Live

2012-03-23T16:30:00.001+07:00

For many years, the superior league of England was extensively recognized as the greatest soccer contest in the world and it was a dream for many citizen to watch the premiership football live. They not only have the utmost television deals to get the more wage but also have the clubs with across- the-board brands. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are few of them.

The clubs in superior league performed permanently well against European teams and thus would have a large amount of supporters. These things simply brought in more profits from merchandising and as well as from gate receipts. The clubs, with the collective economic rewards and the forward ownership started to attract better ability players from all colse to the world, consequently providing them more opportunities for improvement.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have dominated the superior league in the last decade. These teams used to be the favorites for the title, with Liverpool considers as the fourth best for the title. Since the starting of this elite kind of soccer, Manchester United is the club that has won the greatest amount of tournaments, separating the era of Jose Mourinho who arrived to start a new track. Under the administration of Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United has been the undoubted masters of the soccer.

Public love to watch premiership football live, due to this many individuals and company men are now investing in it. Due to increasing economic investment by the other clubs could be a threat for the throttle-hold of these three clubs. The self adequacy and cusine is still a debatable topic in the superior League for the clubs like Portsmouth, but there is no stopping to the multimillionaire private and businessmen to spend in the league. Investing in the soccer clubs has become a very profitable company now-a-days. Chelsea was the club who introduced the concept, when years ago, a Russian multimillionaire came to the town and in case,granted his billions to Chelsea and put them on a way to success.

At the moment, the group of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester city and to a microscopic extent Aston Villa is up-lifting the markets in putting down their dare to the aged guard of the league. The most profligate of them is the Eastlands club who is spending millions of pounds hoping to put United out of the space in Manchester as well as in the world and to put themselves into the elite. As compared to the Manchester United, the Manchester City enjoys the more retain locally, their accomplishments have paled by comparison. But the fans of Manchester city are much used to the stumbles of their team because it has become a habit of them. The attack of jokes and the self insulting nature of its fans also reflect this.

After taking over by a Middle East capitalist Sheikh Mansoor, Manchester City have shown a few bold declarations and now they are ready to snap up the high-class players from all over the world on weighty exchange fees. So far their big feature is to sign Carlos Tevez from their town contender united in a competitive move last season, as a effect Argentinean were able to score 20 goals in the season. They are also consistently in the headings for placing weighty bids for the good players from other football clubs. They are in a mood to pay immense amounts to the best players in order to develop an unbeatable team so this will well not be the last summer in which they will chuck money around. Their main target will well be the next title of the English superior league and they are willing to back their dream with huge cash.

Although Tottenham Hotspur, ordinarily known as Spurs, do not have as much deep assets as the Manchester City is enjoying, but the owner of the club Joe Lewis still sponsor them generously. Because of the unavailability of weighty funds they may not be in a position to catch the big names, but luckily they have an extra commonplace someone named Harry Redknapp as their manager. He all the time tries to bring out the best in each player under his supervision. The focus of the club is to sign the most talented youngsters, who are well the up-coming stars, from British as well as from European soccer. Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale are the results of their efforts, who are now booming at White Hart Lane. Under the administration of Redknapp they have shown the enlarge and especially they have overcome the hazardous reasoning obstacle they might be having. Their clash with Manchester City for the fourth position of the Champions League highlights their progress. In the past, the spurs were unable to frame out any biggest prizes in the English soccer despite of the fact that they are among the preeminently supported clubs of the country. Because of this, hey were considered as the poor neighbors of the Arsenal in the up-to-date past.

Aston Villa well never ranked among the top richest soccer clubs in the superior League but still they all the time administrate to make good deals from the players left behind by the rich clubs. In the name of Martin O'Neill they also got a coach who can build a side that is capable of performing well with their unity and teamwork. This religious doctrine brought them to the edge of Champions League soccer this season although they just fell short again. These circumstances could put the club into the dimness of obscurity or the reverse effect could happen. The owner of the club Randy Lerner is well a fighter and O'Neil is nevertheless a striving person. In the summer, the club would hopefully get the funds and they would continue to retain as one of the football clubs approaching the approved order.

In the next season, the clashes of premier league will be much more interesting; those who will be able to watch premiership football live are extremely lucky. With Liverpool vanishing in the darkness due to the ongoing boardroom confusions and no short of upgrading in stock for Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal at the end of the season, there is the chance that a shift in the momentum could occur towards Spurs, Manchester city or even Villa if they pronounce their foundation squad. Although many citizen in soccer believe that money cannot bring the overnight success, but it can at least revolve the sleeping monsters into dynamic ones. If these two clubs could be able to administrate the headlines grasping transfers with the better results in the ground, no one will be there to say that after a few seasons there would be an extensively different team for the fourth position of the superior league.

Premier League Live

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Wallace Nutting Hand - Colored Photographs

2012-03-19T10:16:00.001+07:00

Wallace Nutting sold more hand-colored photographs during America's 1900-1940 "Golden Age of Hand-Colored Photography" than any other photographer of his time. It is estimated that between 5,000,000-10,000,000 of his pictures decorated the walls of middle class American homes during the early 20th century. Why was Wallace Nutting so successful? And why are his pictures still being widely collected today? This record represents a basic introduction into the world of Wallace Nutting Pictures.

It was shortly after 1900 that Wallace Nutting retired from the ministry due to ill condition (he was a Congregational priest in Providence Ri at the time). As part of his recovery, he began touring the New England countryside by carriage or car, taking photographs of rural New England. Nutting was one of the first to identify that the American scene was changing. Industrialization was altering the way our country looked and our pure and picturesque scenery would never look the same again. He seemed to feel it his divine calling to record the beauty of America for hereafter generations.

Beginning first in Vermont, then Massachusetts and Connecticut, and ultimately throughout the rest of New England, Nutting began photographing country lanes, streams, rivers, lakes, orchards, blossoms, birches, and mountains. Wallace Nutting would take the photograph, assign a title, and instruct his colorists how it should be hand-tinted. Each photograph that met Nutting's high standards of color, composition, and taste would be affixed to its matting and signed by his employees with the distinctive "Wallace Nutting" name. (He hardly ever signed any pictures by himself). Those pictures that did not meet his literal, standards were destroyed. Beginning first with outdoor (Exterior) scenes in New England, Nutting ultimately traveled throughout the United States and Europe, taking photographs in 26 states and 17 foreign countries between 1900-1935. Overall, he took more than 50,000 pictures, 10,000 of which he felt met his high standards. The balance were destroyed.

It was around 1905 that Nutting began taking his first indoor (Interior) pictures. Supposedly one day while it was raining outside, Mrs. Nutting recommend that he take a more "Personable" photograph indoors. So, he set up a colonial scene, near a kitchen hearth, had an worker dress up in a colonial fashion, and took several distinct pictures. These sold relatively unmistakably which encouraged him to expand more into this area. Nutting's love of antiques, his passion for the pilgrim period, and his unquestionable desire to turn a behalf led him to ultimately purchase and restore five colonial homes:

Webb House, Wethersfield, Ct
Wentworth-Gardner House, Portsmouth, Nh
Cutler-Bartlett House, Newburyport, Ma
Hazen-Garrison House, Haverhill, Ma
Saugus Iron Works (Broadhearth), Saugus, Ma

Nutting purchased these homes because he felt each represented a distinct duration of early colonial American style and taste. It was here, along with his own homes Nuttinghame (Southbury, Ct) and Nuttingholme (Framingham, Ma), that the majority of his Interior pictures were taken. Nutting's desire to supply the most literal, and standard settings for his Interior scenes led him in his quest to gather one of the best collections of early American furniture ever assembled. He would use the best examples of early American furniture in his Interior scenes and, when he couldn't find it, he would reproduce it. (We'll focus on his reproduction furniture in a subsequent article).

Working in Southbury Ct from 1905-12, and then in Framingham Ma from 1912 until his death in 1941, Nutting sold unmistakably millions of his hand-colored photographs. He claims to have sold around 10,000,000 pictures although, knowing his habit of exaggeration, that estimate is probably somewhat high.

Whatever the true number, it was large. Wallace Nutting pictures were sometimes called "poor man's prints". Sold throughout the first quarter of the 20th century, well before the invention of color photography, these pictures initially sold unmistakably for pennies. His market was primarily the middle and lower middle classes...those households which could not afford finer forms of art. Because of their low price, Wallace Nutting pictures were purchased in large numbers. By 1925, hardly an American middle-class household was without one as they were purchased as gifts for weddings, showers, Christmas, birthdays, and for just about any other hypothesize imaginable.

Nutting sold many pictures directly straight through his studios where he also in case,granted his own framing services. But he also sold his pictures straight through many other outlets as well: group stores, drug stores, and gift shops, all around the country. He even had full-time salesmen on the road whose sole job was to sell his pictures to these retail establishments. Salesmen whom, he claims, sold sufficient pictures to retire quite handsomely themselves.

The height of Wallace Nutting photograph popularity was 1915-25. during this time Nutting had nearly 100 colorists in his employment, along with another 100 employees who acted as framers, matters, salesmen, management, and assorted administrative office personnel. Let there be no mistake about it...Wallace Nutting's pictures were big business. But by the late 1920's, citizen began to tire of Wallace Nutting. As with any other fashion or style, tastes began to change with time. Wallace Nutting pictures became passé and sales showed a steady decline. Even the introduction of distinct matting styles, greeting cards, pen-type silhouettes, and lower priced machine-produced process prints could not rejuvenate sales.

The Wall road crash of 1929 and the following depression all but sealed the fate of the Wallace Nutting photograph business. Although it remained in doing even after his death, the yield was inconsequential after the early 1930's. Over the years, millions of Wallace Nutting pictures were probably thrown away. Many of those that remain show the signs of 60-90 years of wear after being stored in attics and basements, with water stains, broken glass, dust, dirt, and mildew.

As the traditional owners of Wallace Nutting pictures have grown older or passed on, their Wallace Nutting pictures have also been passed on to another generation. Some were given directly as gifts, others were inherited by children and grandchildren. Those that weren't passed along to families were sold at auctions, estate sales, tag sales, and flea markets where they re-entered the collectibles mainstream during the 1975-2000 period.

What are collectors looking for? Just as in Wallace Nutting's time, Exterior scenes have the widest appeal. Interior scenes have a more small appeal, but since they are rarer, they typically command a higher price than Exterior scenes. However, we have seen that as America's fascination with the "Country" look has diminished over the past 5-10 years, interest in Nutting's Interior scenes has softened as well.

The most desirable pictures to serious Nutting collectors are Miscellaneous Unusual Scenes. These are pictures which fall surface the more standard Interior and Exterior scenes: Architecturals, Children, Florals, Foreign, Men, Seascapes, Snow scenes, and a make your mind up few geographical rarities. Nutting's traditional sales in these categories were significantly lower than with his Exterior and Interior scenes, hence their "/i>rarity" attracts collectors. Just as in other areas of collecting, the rarest examples, in the best condition, are the easiest to sell, regardless of price. But just as foremost as rarity and subject matter is condition. Collectors want pieces in exquisite condition and imperfections such as water stains, blemishes, poor coloring, or damaged frames can all significantly cut value.

As of 2010 the Auction record for a Wallace Nutting hand-colored photograph stands at ,300.00, which is quite inexpensive within the high-priced world of Antiques & Collectibles. However, as the economy has softened, so too have Wallace Nutting prices and possibly 90% of Wallace Nutting pictures are selling in today's market for less than 0-0. And many can be had for - or less. Which means that if you appreciate Wallace Nutting Pictures, this is probably the best time to buy them in the past 25 years.

Wallace Nutting Hand - Colored Photographs

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Trafalgar 200 International Fleet review

2012-03-15T04:00:00.001+07:00

Probably the biggest peacetime naval event the world will see throughout the whole of the 21st Century took place on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 in the Solent off Portsmouth, Uk. A unique range of sea vessels filled the waters of the eastern Solent and aircraft and helicopters took part in thrilling fly-pasts.

The Royal Navy had invited 35 foreign navies and 24 maritime organisations from around the world to send a total of 105 warships and naval keep ships plus 51 non-naval vessels to take part in friendship in the International Fleet report to celebrate Trafalgar 200 ( T200 ) - 200 years since 1805, when at the Battle of Trafalgar Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson's fleet ultimately destroyed Napoleon's ability to invade Britain with his then invincible armies by sea. Nelson, in his famed flagship Hms Victory, died a hero at Trafalgar.

International Fleet report ranged from the immense Uss Saipan and France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carriers to romantic tall ships under sail, tugs and Cunard's famed Qe2 luxury liner, as well as a huge contingent of all types of warship from the Royal Navy. Merchant ships, racing and cruising yachts, fishing boats and family and work boats were also there - a dramatic reminder of the point of the sea in Britain's national life.

The ships queued roughly into Southampton as they were reviewed by Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth Ii, on waters that had seen the immense naval reviews of Victorian and Edwardian times - when Britain's navy nothing else but did rule the waves and was all the time kept bigger than the combined might of the world's next two biggest navies - all the way back to King Henry Viii inspecting his warships in the early 16th Century as he built the Royal Navy.

Trafalgar 200 International Fleet review

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The English Premier League Promotion and Relegation law

2012-03-10T21:45:00.001+07:00

The view of promotion and relegation in English soccer is a difficult one for most American sports fans to grasp immediately. In major American sport leagues, if for instance the Washington Nationals have an awful year where they only win 40 games, they'll be right back next year playing the likes of the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. That is not the case in the English soccer 'pyramid', where the distinct levels of soccer are directly related straight through a series of promotions and relegations.

To talk specifically about the English Premier League, at the end of each season the lowest three teams are relegated down to the next tier of English soccer, which is called the Championship. The Epl is a 20-team league, so each team plays the other 19 teams twice. At the end of that 38 game schedule, the teams in places 18, 19 and 20 are automatically sent down to the Championship for the next season. That means a team like Portsmouth, who is likely to be relegated this 2009-2010 season, could go from playing Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea one season to playing Watford, Bristol City and Blackpool the next. That's quite a huge discrepancy and it's one of the main reasons why the relegation battle is often more compelling than the battle for the Premier League Champion. These teams are in some cases fighting for the survival of their club as well, as the Premier League television compensation is vastly classic to that of the Championship.

Promotion from the Championship is quite similar in concept. In the 24-team Championship, each team plays the others twice, and at the end of those 46 games, the top two teams are automatically promoted to the Premier League. Teams in places 3-6 then contest a playoff where the winner is awarded the third promotion place to the Premier League. So it's naturally three teams relegated and three teams promoted each season. With some miniature variation, this type of promotion and relegation exists throughout the whole English soccer pyramid, many levels below the Premier League. It de facto adds to the appeal to of the sport that a team can de facto rise from a local club to one day play against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

The English Premier League Promotion and Relegation law

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The 'Anyone But Chelsea' Movement Has More Ammunition

2012-03-06T15:30:00.001+07:00

The hopes of thousands of neutral fans across the country who were intent on witnessing a fairytale desist to the season were dashed last Saturday as Chelsea secured their first ever League and Cup double courtesy of their 1-0 victory over Portsmouth in the Fa Cup final.

Pompey were awarded a golden opening to bring cheer to the nation however Kevin Prince-Boateng fluffed his lines, missed a penalty and his side were at last made to pay when Didier Drogba fired in the winner from a free-kick just three minutes later.

Chelsea's success, this year and in former seasons post-Abramovich has seen the phrase 'anyone but Chelsea' enter football parlance when opposing fans have been asked who they'd like to win titles and cup competitions.

I didn't like Chelsea before it got favorite to dislike them. I didn't like their thuggish, skinhead sporting fans that idolised chief agitator, Dennis Wise.

Now, the focus of commentary has advanced a fresh set of bugbears. I don't like their army of 'nu fans', springing up in dormitory towns across the south-east. I snort with derision as I watch them wearing their post-2003 shirts, freshly laundered by middle England mumsy or recently acquired by dad who thinks it's terribly naughty to have a season mark in the redeveloped Shed End.

What do they know about Kharine, Clarke, Sinclair, Peacock, Johnsen and Stein?

Sometimes I have to remind myself that it's not at all new for a inevitable team to encourage the wrath of football fans not in their thrall.

Manchester United in the nineties were, and to a degree still are, the hated team. They won everything, badgered the referee when decisions didn't go their way and don't even start on Fergie's mystical timepiece.

Scientists across the globe are still working out how many magical goals were scored in the charmed minutes that Sir Alex's watch conjured up.

You could afford them some kind of grudging respect though. They had style and nurtured home-grown talent. True, they weren't averse to bending the rules and Eric Cantona and Roy Keane were no shrinking violets. They could of course put the frighteners on Wise and co.

There's something separate about disliking Chelsea though. They're symbolic of the rot in the modern game.

They've gone from being the team of the Far Right (though their estimate still remain) to the successful embodiment of the riches and glamour that the Premier League offers and a product that appeals to both the well-heeled and the well 'ard.

Their foreign owner bankrolling the club, their crass commercialism and cringe worthy courting of foreign markets, turncoat mouthpiece Peter Kenyon, Didier Drogba's blank expression of arrogance, Saloman Kalou's lithe, cocky figure, king of the chavs John Terry, Ratley Cole and so much more concentrate to form a compilation of footballing iniquity.

So, put your hands up. At the end of the 2008 Uefa Champions League final, did you cheer wildly when Terry missed that penalty and Abramovich's European ambition had to go supplementary unfulfilled?

The feeling of elation had taken hold, even though for years before you might have hated Man. United yet they were now the lesser of two evils.

The Russian billionaire has promised owner Carlo Ancelloti adequate funds to enlarge this summer. The vociferous 'anyone but Chelsea' brigade will have to muster all of their voodoo powers to forestall this wicked blue juggernaut from forcing itself onto more impressionable young minds and supplementary poisoning the football landscape.

The 'Anyone But Chelsea' Movement Has More Ammunition

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''Staycation'' Weekends

2012-03-02T09:17:00.001+07:00

With the effects of the stepping back still fresh in many peoples minds, ''staycations'' in the Uk are becoming more popular than ever. Instead of spending vast amounts of money taking a partner or house abroad, population are selecting to save their money for more frugal matters, but still recompense themselves with a short break on home soil. The Uk is a diverse place, offering rugged coastlines, rolling hills and cultural cities. Anyone your penchant, there are staycation options for all pockets and tastes. From opulent city breaks to fine dining in some of the Uk's finest stately homes, there are a range of choices to weigh up.

For those who work and play hard, staying in hotels with spas supply a relaxing experience, offering pampering treatments such as hot stone massage, revitalising facials and floats. This sort of break is ideal for those with time or budgetary constraints, as they offer a concentrated stress busting package, set in luxurious surroundings. Ideal for couples or groups of friends, hotels with spa facilities are located over the country in both rural and urban environments.

City breaks in the Uk are growing increasingly popular, offering modern architecture, cultural delights and keen nightlife. Bath, Edinburgh, London and Newcastle are always favourites, but watch out for the likes of Brighton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth, providing seaside charms - alongside bustling bars and restaurants. Such cities boast a smörgåsbord of music and theatre festivals, as well as enviable shopping experiences guaranteed to satisfy those holiday urges.

Rural staycations offer quaint cottages or grand manor houses to appreciate the charm of the British countryside. Activities such as horse-riding, paragliding, off roading and orienteering are ready for those who thrive on adrenalin; whilst country pubs, cream teas and gorgeous scenery satisfy those who need some recuperation. The Cotswolds are possibly the most supreme of country break locations, offering small towns and villages cast in cotswold stone, a yellow limestone. Other popular rural locations consist of the New Forest, South Downs, Yorkshire Dales and Scottish Highlands.

''Staycation'' Weekends

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Trail of Horatio Nelson

2012-02-27T03:01:00.001+07:00

Uk attractions and British History are entwined. Museums and monuments were raised to celebrate special events and the achievements of the British people. One singular Great Briton is genuinely Lord Horatio Nelson. Many illustrious landmarks, monuments and museums are dedicated to this man, one of the most naval heroes.

Nelson Museum - Great Yarmouth

Find out about the times that Lord Nelson lived in, his career, his childhood and his death. You can learn about Lord Nelson's great character, the wounds that he received during battles, and his controversial love life. There is a recreation of Hms Victory and abundance of hands-on activities.

The Nelson's Monument - Great Yarmouth

Nelson's Monument, or the Naval Pillar as it is properly known, was built in 1819 to commemorate the death of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar. It was recently fully restored. For a tour of the Nelson's Monument call 01493 850698 or book directly at the Monument.

Hms Victory - Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Nelson's flagship, Hms Victory, is still a working ship with its own crew. It flies the flag of the Second Sea Lord, Commander in Chief Naval Home Command. Hms Victory has served in many battles, most famously the Battle of Trafalgar, and it was the very ship on which Lord Nelson was fatally wounded by a French sniper in 1805. The ship is open to the social and can be visited all year around.

National maritime Museum - maritime London Gallery

This permanent display uses the story of the Battle of Trafalgar to tell us the story of Nelson. The jewel of the exhibition is Nelson's uniform - with a hole made by the bullet that took his life.

Nelson's Column

Admiral Horatio Nelson's death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 was commemorated with Nelson's Column, built between 1840 and 1843. The 18 foot model of Nelson stands on top of a 150 foot granite column. The monument was designed by architect William Railton in 1838, and built by the firm Peto & Grissell. Both British and French cannon were melted down and used for the metal parts of the monument. Railton's traditional stone model ( 1:22-scale) is displayed at the National maritime Museum in London. The model at the top was sculpted by E.H. Baily. The illustrious four lions at the base, made by Sir Edwin Landseer, were added in 1867.

Other monuments built to celebrate Lord Horatio Nelson exist, most notably in Edinburgh and Liverpool.

Finally, The place where Lord Nelson's funeral took place is St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Trail of Horatio Nelson

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World Cup 2006 Group Stage spin - Phase Two-Part Two

2012-02-22T20:48:00.001+07:00

All 32 teams have played two matches as the World Cup groups have started to take shape. Some teams have mighty for the knockout stage while others will sweat on the last match. This is a short round-up of Groups E to H, of the results as they stand after two matches.

Group E

1. Italy 4pts, 2. Czech Republic 3pts, 3. Ghana 3pts, 4. Usa 1pt

Italy drew 1-1 with the Usa in a bad tempered game to lead Group E by a single point. Alberto Gilardino broke the deadlock after 22 minutes but an own goal from Cristian Zaccardo five minutes later drew the sides level. Daniel de Rossi was sent off for the Italians after 28 minutes while Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope saw red for the Americans after 45 and 47 minutes.

The Czech Republic are in real danger of not qualifying from the "Group of Death" after Ghana defeated them 2-0. Gyan Asamoah sent the Black Stars on their way inside the first microscopic and Sulley Muntari sealed an unlikely 7/2 (Coral) victory with nine minutes left.

Group F

1. Brazil 6pts, 2. Australia 3pts, 3. Croatia 1pt, 4. Japan 1pt

Brazil are still not firing on all cylinders but made it two victories out of two against plucky Australia. Adriano got off the mark three minutes into the second half but it wasn't until substitute Fred struck two minutes from time that a 1/4 (Coral) victory was secured.

Croatia need to beat Australia in their final match to have any hope of qualifying after a goalless draw against Japan. Old Portsmouth goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was inspired in the first half and saved a penalty from Darijo Srna to keep the scoreline level.

Group G

1. Switzerland 4pts, 2. South Korea 4pts, 3. France 2pts, 4. Togo 0pts

Switzerland topped the group after a comfortable victory against rock bottom Togo. Alexander Frei gave the 4/6 (Coral) Swiss the exquisite start after 16 minutes and Tranquillo Barnetta added a second with three minutes remaining.

Former world champions France need a victory against Togo if they are to qualify for the last 16 after throwing away a lead against South Korea. Thierry Henry gave France the lead after eight minutes but Les Bleus failed to capitalise on a dominant execution and allowed Park Ji-Sung to snatch an equaliser with 10 minutes left.

Group H

1. Spain 6pts, 2. Ukraine 3pts, 3. Tunisia 1pt, 4. Saudi Arabia 1pt

Spain prolonged their promising start to the tournament after advent from behind to beat Tunisia 3-1. Jawhar Mnari capitalised on a defensive mistake to give Tunisia the lead after seven minutes and it wasn't until the final 20 minutes that 1/2 (Coral) justified their price. Substitute Raul levelled on 71 and Fernando Torres put Spain in front four minutes later. Torres became the Cup's prominent goalscorer with three goals when he converted an injury time penalty.

Ukraine's qualification to the second round was back on track after they crushed Saudi Arabia 4-0, wiping out the negative goal contrast sustained by a same score defeat by Spain in the first match. Andriy Rusol opened the scoring after three minutes, Sergei Rebrove struck a magnificent second on 35, Andriy Shevchenko scored on the stroke of half-time and Maksim Kalinichenko netted the fourth on 83.

World Cup 2006 Group Stage spin - Phase Two-Part Two

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Gosport - A Town on the Edge of Portsmouth Harbour

2012-02-18T14:15:00.001+07:00

Gosport is a town which is nearly on the south coast of England. It is on a peninsula on the edge of Portsmouth Harbour. Because of this it has the benefit of being sea-facing, with a lot of lovely beaches and attractions, but not fully exposed to the sea. The small town of roughly eighty thousand habitancy swells to nearly half a million in the summer months as visitors swarm to the region.

It started life as a troops and naval centre. It is ideally situated in a strategic defence position on the mouth of the harbour and is a excellent location for defending the harbour from the invading armies of the French and Spanish. There are now any forts remaining which have been restored and opened to the public.

Fort Blockhouse can be visited but is unique in that it is one of the oldest working forts still in troops occupation. It also has many other unique points. It is surrounded by water on three sides and so is on a excellent location. Also, it was absolutely built over any centuries - possibly because despite being such a good defending structure, it was also the excellent target.

Other forts of the area are known under the group title of the Palmerston Forts. One such is Fort Brockhurst. These are very favorite tourist attractions. There is nothing like putting your hand on the cold stone of a medieval construction and imaginging the centuries of history, the invading armies and the romantic tales woven into the stones themselves.

Gosport today is a successful modern town. The Spinnaker tower is within easy reach over the bay in Portsmouth. The ferry which runs ordinarily in the middle of Gosport and Portsmouth provides an superior view of this 170m tower which is a new construction in the shape of a tall white sail. A must see attraction for families.

Gosport - A Town on the Edge of Portsmouth Harbour

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Exploration of the Celebrated!

2012-02-14T08:00:00.001+07:00

From San Francisco
California
To Santiago de Querétaro
In Querétaro,
San Francisco of the one and only California
Officially the city and County of San Francisco
The fourth most populous city in California
And 12th most populous United States City
We are the only consolidated city-county in California
The most density-Settled large city
And second-most densely populated United States large city
San Francisco, the financial, cultural and communication centre of
San Francisco Bay Area
The California Gold Rush, 1848
Propelled San Francisco into duration of rapid growth
Thus transforming it to largest city
On west coast at the time
Three-quarters of my city was destroyed
By 1906 earthquake and fire
Though San Francisco was speedily rebuilt
To host Panama-Pacific International Exposition
For World War Ii
We were port of embarkation for assistance members shipping
Out to the Pacific Theatre
San Francisco, a favorite International tourist destination
Renowned for Chilly Summer fog
Steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian
And modern architecture
Our illustrious landmarks include
The Golden Gate Bridge and Chinatown
The city, also a significant banking and finance centre
San Francisco, eighteenth in world`s top producing cities
Ninth in the United States
Our earliest archaeological evidence of habitation
Dates to 3000Bc
March 28, 1776, the Spanish established
Presidio of San Francisco
And a mission
Mission San Francisco de Asis (Mission Dolores)
1835, Englishman William Richardson,
Erected our first independent homestead
Near a boat anchorage around today`s Portsmouth Square
Together with Alcalde Francisco de Haro
He laid street plan for expanded settlement
Commodore John D. Sloat claimed California for the United States
July 7, 1846 during Mexican-American War
Captain John B. Montgomery claimed Yerba Buena two days later
Yerba Buena, renamed San Francisco the next year
The Un rent creating the United Nations was drafted and signed
In San Francisco 1945 and
1951, the Treaty of San Francisco
Officially ended war with Japan
Our Transamerica Pyramid was completed 1972
San Francisco International Airport (Sfo)
Is under jurisdiction of the City and County of San Francisco
And primarily near cities of Millbrae and San Bruno
Also borders the most southern part of
City of San Francisco
Sfo, a hub for United Airlines, its largest tenant
Sfo, an international gateway
With largest International final in North America
Airport built on a landfill extension
Into the San Francisco Bay
San Francisco, California
Home of the many and richest
You will meet Larry Page
The Lego-loving co-founder of the Google juggernaut
The graduate of University of Michigan and Standford University
From the city of the co-founder of
World`s most grand search engine
Navigate neatly to
Santiago de Querétaro
A base in Querétaro
From my country, Mexico
The capital and largest city of State of Querétaro
Located northwest of Mexico City
Southeast of San Miguel de Allende
And south of San Luis Potos
Founding date of my city 25 July, 1531
2009, Querétaro was metropolitan area with
Highest Gdp per capita in Mexico
City is host to major industries
Bombardier Aerospace
The only airplane manufacturing factory in Mexico
Kellogg`s, Samsung Electronics, Daewoo, Colgate
Michelin, Siemens, Nestle, Pilgrim`s Pride
Flex and Gate, among others
In the Otomi language
It is Maxei or Ndamaxei
Which means ball game
And the grand ball game respectively
In P`urhépecha language
It is Crettaro, meaning place of crags
Referring to rocky hills of La Canada
In Mendocina Codex, it is called Tlaschco or Tlaxco
From Nahuati for ball game
However, Querétaro most likely comes from
K`en ireta rho
Meaning place of the great people
Querétaro has an Aztec graph to relate it
As it was a tributary province
1655, we received our coat of arms from Spanish Crown
Our area was located around 200C.E
By Mesoamerican groups intriguing north
From the first-rate Period
Two people centres here were called
Toluquila and Ranas
The mountain now called El Cerrito
Was a ceremonial centre
The foundation of my Santiago de Querétaro
Is pegged to 25 July, 1531
In 1656, it was decreed as my Settlement
The `Muy Noble y Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Querétaro
Very Nobel and Loyal city of Santiago de Querétaro
This honor being solicited by
Viceroy Luis de Velasco
In recognition of our growth
Our Agricultural production industry
And educational institutions
By 18th Century, we were in formally known as
The Pearl of the Bajio and
The third City of the Viceroyalty
My Querétaro`s collective communication consists of Small buses I call microbuses
And taxi buses or collective taxis
My Querétaro municipality is divided into
Several boroughs, called Histórico, for downtown and around areas
Surrounded by city`s main thoroughfares
Most of our city`s monuments are here
Santa Rosa JÄuregui, for rural areas
Here, production of eggs, poultry and livestock are important
Though larger towns like
Santa Rosa JÄuregui and Juriquilla are here
Home to the largest water stockroom in the municipality
The Presa de Santa Catarina
My Felix Osores Sotomayor
Where most of the new increase in the city took place
Find the largest market area of Querétaro here
Like Michellin and Philips
The gorgeous neighborhood of Jurica is found here
Epigmento Gonzáles, mostly a residential zone on hilly terrain
Josefa Vergayay Hernández
On the Slopes of the Cerro del Cimatario
Its easternmost area known as Centro Sur
Where out stadium and City Hall are located
Felipe Carrillo Puerto
The western part of rural areas
Here, town of Tlacote is located
Famous for its allegedly miraculous water springs
Kellogg`s is found here
Then, Cayetano Rubis, my residential area, is no seven
To include town of Hercules
A picturesque village-like area
Nestled in the middle of steep slopes
Along railway of the Rio Querétaro
Our mayor in each borough, called delegado
We appoint straight through the mayor of the city
Municipality has rolling hills, mountains called
El Buey, Piede Gallo
El Patol, El Nabo and El Paisano
We have one river, the Querétaro River
A unity of San Francisco and Santiago de Querétaro.

Exploration of the Celebrated!

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English Premier League - Season 2009/2010 - Chelsea Win Premiership Title on Last Day

2012-02-10T01:45:00.001+07:00

Chelsea are Champions of England. In the final day Chelsea had to win their home game against Wigan. They did it style winning it by 8 goals to nil. What a tanking that was. I think Wigan should next time just forfeit the game and take a nap. Perhaps that's what Wigan did in the second half. Chelsea were only two goals up at the break. Then a Dider Drogba second half hatrick sealed Chelsea's first title in 4 years. Carlo Ancelotti has managed to take essentially the same team that didn't perform to its best under the Phil Scolari reign to the top of the premiership.

Carlo Ancelotti basically went back to the 4 4 3 theory that was so prosperous under Jose Mourinho. With Dider Drogba scoring 29 goals this season in the premier league. Frank Lampard contributed is quarterly 20 plus goals. Between these two players Chelsea have scored 50 goals. These two players managed more that the total estimate of goals scored by Portsmouth. Under Ancelotti, Chelsea have handed out 7 goal thrashings to Sunderland, Stoke City and Aston Villa. And in their final game of the season 2009/2010 they went one better. Chelsea have managed to score 103 goals in the 38 league games. This is a premier league record.

With this premiership win Chelsea have won their 4th title. They can now look forward to claiming the Fa Cup on Saturday against relegated Portsmouth. Whether Portsmouth can even managed to field a decent first 11 will be a challenge. I can safety say I will eat my hat if Portsmouth unquestionably win the final. Three cheers for Chelsea. At least the stopped Manchester United from over hauling Liverpool's 18 title record. Just hope that Torres stays and scores 50 goals next season.

English Premier League - Season 2009/2010 - Chelsea Win Premiership Title on Last Day

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Can Manchester United Win The Premiership This Season?

2012-02-05T19:32:00.001+07:00

I have just watched another afternoon of top class premiership football. I have to say that I love to not only watch but also play to football and have done so since a very early age. I sustain a team which was honestly relegated from the English premiership last season in Birmingham City but am wondering tonight whether Man United can win the title this season ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal.

Today Manchester United defeated Liverpool by two goals to nil. Paul Scholes scored the first goal on his five hundredth appearance for the club and Rio Ferdinand slammed home the second from six yards. This left United joint top of the table with the same number of points as Chelsea. Liverpool are now trailing both teams by eleven points and already look out of the title race. Playing a more consistent team instead of changing it each week could in my view help the team in a big way but who am I to tell Benitez what to do?

Later in the afternoon Arsenal played away at Reading. On paper this looked like quite a tricky match for the gunners but in the end they ran out easy winners by four goals to nil. Arsenal played the game the way it should be played with some neat and slick passing moves. Thiery Henry scored another two goals and the whole team looked awesome.

Yesterday Chelsea won yet again by beating a good Portsmouth by two goals to one.

So out of these three teams who will end up being crowned champions? I think this season it could go right down to the wire but honestly think that Manchester United will be once again be victorious. Wayne Rooney is yet to hit top form but the team is still joint top of the table.

I also think that Arsenal will quit second with Chelsea third. Do not stress to much Chelsea supporters as I think you will win the champions league this season.

Can Manchester United Win The Premiership This Season?

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